BTS Army Is Proud Of V As He Attains 'Elite Trainee' Title In Military Training

Every day with BTS is filled with excitement, and even during their current hiatus due to military enlistment, the members are dedicated to making their global fanbase proud. The latest source of joy for the ARMY comes from V’s remarkable achievement during his time in Korean military training. Kim Taehyung, popularly known as V, has earned the prestigious title of ‘Elite Trainee’ within the ’27th Training Regiment.’ This recognition comes as a result of his exceptional skills showcased during a demanding five-week basic training. Even in their individual pursuits, BTS continues to shine and bring pride to their dedicated fanbase.

This notable recognition took place on January 16, when both Taehyung and RM emerged as two of the six ‘elite trainees’ chosen from a pool of 200 participants in their regiment. Their commendable abilities throughout the comprehensive training period led to this distinction.

Commencing their military service on December 11, 2023, Taehyung and RM underwent fundamental military training before being assigned to their respective units. Notably, Taehyung, who aimed to increase his weight from 61kg to 85kg during his service, visibly exhibited progress toward this goal and appeared a little bulked up in his recent photos.

A post shared by RM (@rkive)

A post shared by RM (@rkive)

Before his enlistment, Taehyung gained attention for being among the rare K-pop idols accepted into the Special Duty Team, an elite counter-terrorism unit renowned for its demanding training.

The selection criteria for elite trainees, as per the Nonsan Training Center guidelines, involved achieving specific fitness benchmarks, including exceeding 86 curl-ups in 2 minutes, more than 72 push-ups in 2 minutes, completing a 1.5 km run within 5 minutes and 28 seconds, a 3 km run within 12 minutes and 30 seconds, and achieving zero-point shooting with 16 shots out of 20.

As for now, a further three weeks of training at the Army General Administration School await Taehyung from January 18 to February 8 before he gets transferred to the Special Forces.

As per the photos and videos of the graduation ceremony shared by fellow trainees’ family members, Taehyung looked calm and serious, which transformed into a heartfelt smile upon being joined by his parents while receiving the award.

Commenting on Taehyung’s composed demeanour, a fan wrote, “After receiving the certificate, Taehyung was suddenly smiling like a little kid when his parents came. Then he went back to being a soldier…”

At present, all BTS members are fulfilling their military duties in the Korean military. The collective anticipation is for the group to reunite by the following year’s end, signifying the completion of their military commitments and the eagerly awaited return of the entire BTS group.